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User blog:SPARTAN 119/Covenant (Halo) vs Scrin (Command and Conquer 3)
The Covenant, the interstellar alien theocratic hegemony bent on destroying mankind and all others who oppose the will of their prophets and gods VS The Scrin, the space-faring alien civilization who unleashed the plague of Tiberium on Earth, then invaded to harvest the deadly green crystals WHO IS DEADLIEST!? =Combatants= Covenant The Covenant Empire, also referred to as the Covenant was a religious hegemony made up of many alien species that controlled a large portion of the Orion Arm in the Milky Way galaxy. They waged a genocidal campaign against Humanity until they were defeated due to many factors, the most crucial of which was an internal conflict. While the Covenant's leadership was either lost during the Flood infection of High Charity or during the Battle of Installation 00, the Covenant continues to exist even after the conclusion of the war. In exactly what capacity it continues to operate in remains unknown. The species that make up the confederation known as the Covenant come from different parts of the galaxy and take all kinds of physical forms. Organized into a caste system by their religious leaders the San'Shyuum, the different species of the Covenant have many divisions but there is one powerful force that unites them — their blind faith in the Great Journey. The Covenant society is a single hegemonistic culture, It is a culture with a distinct caste based societal system which has a strong theocratic underpinning. There are three basic Covenant castes: The Religious caste; the Military or Warrior caste; and the Worker caste. Like other civilizations, the Covenant maintains a permanent armed forces branch, used to enforce order, conduct atmospheric and space combat operations, and generally project the Covenant's power onto others. Formerly led by the Elites prior to the Covenant Civil War, the Loyalist branches are now led by the Brutes. The military comprises of the Covenant Navy, the Covenant Army and the Special Warfare Group containing the Special Operations Division (SpecOps). Combined with the unique abilities of the client races, help to push the ever-growing war machine of the Covenant. Humans are the only species known that have started war against the Covenant and survived, unlike the Grunts (Unggoy) who almost immedietly surrendered and joined the Covenant. The human's very existance is heresy to all Covenant branches, such as Insurrectionists modifying Plasma Rifles for utility and accuracy, seen in the riots of Charybdis IX. Source: Halo Nation Scrin The Scrin are a space-faring alien race and one of three playable factions in the military strategy game Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars. The Scrin are not seen in the previous two games, though they are implied to be responsible first seeding Tiberium on Earth near the Tiber River in Italy in 1995, prior to the events of the first game. The Scrin are a Tiberium-based life form, which use the substance for sustaining themselves and it is the basis for their technology. The Scrin are known to spread Tiberium, or "Ichor" as they call it, to other planets as they did with Earth, wait for it to take over the planet's biosphere, and then send in harvesting operation. In terms of appearance, the Scrin are generally insectiod, however, they seem to enhanced with cybernetics to the point where the line between machine and life form is blurred, and, as such, individuals with a different role may look very different. It is not clear if any of Scrin infantry units are actual members of the Scrin race, or biomechanical constructs built for war. In 2047, the Global Defense Initiative fired their orbital ion cannon on the Brotherhood of Nod Temple Prime in Sarajevo, detonating an experimental Liquid Tiberium Bomb on the site. This explosion sent Tiberium radiation into space, which was detected by the Scrin. The Scrin, believing Earth was overrun by Tiberium, were shocked to find that human military forces were still combat effective- the Scrin had expected to find only dying remnants of civilization in a Tiberium-ruined wasteland. It was quickly revealed that Kane, the enigmatic leader of Nod had intentionally set up the bomb as a target for the ion cannon, in order to trigger a Scrin invasion. Kane knew of the Scrin from an alien AI found on Earth known as Tacitus, and intended to capture Scrin technology to use it to "ascend" to a "higher plane of existence". The Scrin head of the harvesting activities, Foreman 371, attempted to divert the GDI and Nod forces by using military forces attached to the harvesting operation to attack major cities around the world. Of particular note was the devastation of London and several cities in Germany and Switzerland, including Berne, which was destroyed by the superweapon mounted on the Scrin mothership. The Scrin Foreman then switched his strategy from attacking cities to deploying his forces to Tiberium-infested Red Zones and constructing massive teleportaion arrays. In spite of the Foreman's efforts, however, GDI forces destroyed all but one of the towers while under construction. As GDI forces closed in on the Control node, Foreman 371 fled through the last surviving teleportation tower, Threshold 19. Shortly afterwards, GDI forces destroyed the Scrin control node, which channeled vital Tiberium radiation to Scrin troops in the field. With the node destroyed, the Scrin military forces literally died instantaneously. The Scrin supreme commander, the Overlord, was infuriated by this defeat and declared that a full invasion of Earth would follow. In spite of this threat, the Scrin would not be seen on Earth again, though the Brotherhood of Nod would gain eventually reactivate Threshold 19 and Kane and his followers would "ascend" through, ending a fourth GDI-Nod war in the 2077. At the same time, GDI completed the Tiberium Control Network, finally ending the menace of Tiberium infestation. =Military Units= Covenant Infantry Unggoy Unggoy, or "Grunts" as they are known as by humans, are the lowest-ranking race in the Covenant, essentially slaves. The Unggoy are a methane-breathing species which require a breathing apparatus when in non-methane based atmospheres. The Unggoy are short in stature, only about four to five feet tall, and possess gray, scaly skin. The Unggoy are essentially used as cannon fodder by the Covenant. Most Unggoy are armed with plasma pistols, and needlers, ill-suited for long-range combat. Some Grunts, however, may carry other weapons, including heavy weapons Unggoy armed with fuel rod cannons and plasma autocannons. For the purposes of this match, most Unngoy will be armed with plasma pistols and needlers- submachine guns firing crystalline needles which explode on contact with flesh, but some will carry heavy weapons such as plasma cannons and fuel rod guns. Unggoy are given minimal armor, and no energy shields. Kig-Yar The Kig-Yar, also known as "Jackals" by humans, are a species of avian-line aliens from Eayn, a mood of an extrasolar planet. The Kig-Yar have three subspecies from three major continents on Eayn, however, all of them them share large bird-like beaks, scaly, featherless skin, and four limbs, all possessing talons used both for grasping and, in an emergency, in close combat. Prior to contact with the Covenant, the Kig-Yar were mercenaries, who first made a contract with the Covenant, but were later assimilated in the hegemony. In combat, Kig-Yar carry one of three armament loadouts, the most common being a plasma pistol or needler and a larger circular energy shield capable of reflecting gunfire, but not heavy weapons. The Kig-Yar are also employed as skirmishers, with plasma pistols, Needlers, and wrist-mounted light energy shields, and as marksmen, with no shields, but armed with powerful long-range weapons such as the Covenant Carbine and Particle Beam Rifle Basic *Energy Shield *Plasma Pistol or Needler Skirmisher *Dual Small Wrist Shields *Plasma Pistol or Needler Marksman *Covenant Carbine or Beam Rifle Sangheili The Sangheili (Latin Macto cognatus, meaning "I glorify my kin") are a saurian species of fierce, proud, strong, agile and intelligent warriors and skilled combat tacticians. Sangheili are named after their home planet, Sanghelios. Known to Humans as Elites, due to their skill in combat, the Sangheili formed the military backbone of the Covenant Empire for almost the entirety of its existence. They had a very strong rivalry with the Brutes, which finally became open hatred during the Great Schism, and the conclusion of the Human-Covenant war, which led to a Sangheili alliance with humanity. For the purposes of this match, the Elites will consist of 40% Elite Minors, 20% Elite Majors, 15% Jetpack Elites/Rangers, 10% Ultras, 10% Active Camo Elites, and 5% Zealots. Weapons *Minor: Plasma Rifle, Carbine, Needler, or Fuel Rod Cannon, Plasma Grenades *Major: Plasma Rifle, Carbine, Needler, or Fuel Rod Gun, Plasma Grenades *Jetpack/Ranger: Plasma Rifle or Needler, Jetpack, Plasma Grenades *Stealth: Plasma Rifle, or Needler, Plasma Grenades, some will have Energy Swords. *Ultra: Plasma Rifle, Carbine, Needler, or Plasma Launcher, Energy Sword, Plasma Grenades, Overshield/Shield Booster *Zealot: Plasma Rifle, Carbine, Plasma Launcher, or Plasma Turret, Energy Sword, Plasma Grenades Energy Shields Zealot > Ultra > Major > Minor = Ranger > Stealth Jiralhanae A Fearsome and barbaric people, the Jiralhanae, better known as the Brutes, are native to the magma-heated Earth-like planet, Doisac. The Brutes raised their civilization to a Space-Age level, before they were torn apart in a bloody civil war that reduced their population and crippled their technology and culture. However, their savagery and skill in battle did not go unnoticed, and when they were in this weakened state, The Covenant Empire launched a full invasion, quickly pummeling the Brutes and absorbing them into the Covenant ranks in 2492. Intially meant only to serve as guards and heavy infantry, the Jiralhanae proved incredibly quick converts- they quickly adapted and molded to the Prophet's religion, and despite their inability to truly grasp ideas like sanctity, they quickly became devout and even fanatical to The Great Journey. For the purposes of this match, the composition of the force will be: 50% Minors, 35% Majors, 10% Ultras, 5% Chieftains Weapons *Minors: Brute Plasma Rifle, Spiker, Mauler, or Carbine, Spike Grenades *Majors: Brute Shot, Carbine, or Mauler, Spike Grenades *Ultras: Brute Shot, Carbine, or Fuel Rod Cannon, Spike Grenades, Incendiary Grenades *Chieftains: Plasma Turret, Fuel Rod Cannon, Plasma Launcher, or Gravity Hammer, Spike and Incendiary Grenades Shields Chieftain > Ultra > Major > Minor Lekgolo Mgalekgolo (Ophis congregatio), more commonly known as Hunters, are a unique gestalt of smaller creatures known as Lekgolo, which are orange, worm-like creatures. When grouped together to form a Mgalekgolo, Lekgolo exponentially increase their intelligence, strength, and maneuverability (From Halo Wikia). Mgalekgolo are armed with weapons that fire streams of plasma generated using an incendiary gel similar to that used in Fuel Rod Cannon projectiles. They also carry large metal shields which can both block anything smaller than an anti-tank rocket and can also be used as devastating blunt weapons, capable of crushing smaller species with a single strike. Lekgolo colonies can be killed by single hits with rockets or heavy vehicle-mounted weapons such as tank cannons, and can also be harmed by small arms fire to the gaps in the armor, including the rear, as well as smaller gaps such as the "head". Mgalekgolo almost always fight in pairs. Huragok Huragok (Latin Facticius Indoles, meaning "Man-made character"), known to humans as Engineers, are a race of biological supercomputers that were created by the Forerunners. They are the only known non-combatant race to ever serve the Covenant, though some are rigged to explode like suicide bombers. After the Covenant empire's collapse, those that did not flee or get taken by the San 'Shyuum, now serve the UNSC. Huragok repair machinery for the Covenant, and can also modify Covenant armor, increasing power of energy shields, and even equipping normally unshielded Unggoy and Kig-Yar with light energy shields. For some reason, this effect is limited to infantry near a Huragok, and ends when the Huragok is killed. (modified from Halo Wiki) San'Shyuum San 'Shyuum (Latin Perfidia Vermis, meaning "Worms of Treachery"), also known as Prophets by the Humans, are a species who were the leadership caste within the Covenant, and one of the more mysterious member races of the hierarchy. Prophets appear to exert complete control over religious and political affairs, thus fulfilling their role as leaders. The Prophets enforce a misguided theology based on the false belief that firing the Halo Array will start the Great Journey, transcending them into a god-like status. Although physically frail compared to other Covenant species, they wield near absolute power over the Covenant. They have a strong religious importance throughout the Covenant Hierarchy. While physically very weak, prophets can be very dangerous when encountered on board their gravity thrones, which are equipped with a shield that can stop most projectiles, but a living being can enter and kill the prophet at close combat. For the purpose of this match, very heavy weapons will also be able to pierce the shield and harm the prophet. For weapons, the gravity thrones come equipped with a pair of power directed energy weapons. The Covenant army in this battle will be led by a prophet. Scrin Infantry Buzzers Buzzers are among the most unusual weapons in the Scrin arsenal. Buzzers are swarms of hovering creatures with razor-sharp bodies capable of tearing infantry to shreds, though they are useless against armor. While swarms of Buzzers can shred infantry in confined spaces, they are vulnerable to small arms fire in the open. For some reason, it does not seem to require a hit on every Buzzer to kill the swarm. This is not explained in game, but it may be because the Buzzers have a hivemind intelligence- meaning only the central intelligence must be killed to destroy the swarm. Disintegrators Disintegrators are bio-mechanically engineered cybernetic organism constructed by the Scrin as anti-armor weapons. Disintegrators are quadruped, mostly robotic creatures with a small organic portion- possibly the brain, armed with a single directed energy weapon designed to attack enemy armor, however, it is less effective against infantry as it has no area of effect damage, unlike an explosive device, though it can burn through flesh just as easily as armor. Disintegrators produce a highly acidic substance capable of burning thorough tank armor when killed, making running them down in a vehicle a dangerous proposition. Assimilators The assimilator is a Scrin bio-mechanical construct similar designed to maintain vehicles and structures of the Scrin. The assimilator is unarmed and extremely slow, making it an easy target. Shock Troopers Shock Troops are the elite forces of the Scrin, bio-mechanically augmented creatures about the size of a car, these units are, even with their lightest armament, a plasma cannon, deadly against infantry and armor alike. When upgraded with a plasma disk launcher, they can fire on aircraft as well. They can also be upgraded with short-range teleporter packs. They are not, however, without their weaknesses- Shock troopers are vulnerable to anti-personnel weapons. Ravagers These creatures are quadrupedal biomechanical constructs, that literally have green Tiberium crystals growing on them. They have been reported to be one of fastest Scrin units encountered to date. The Ravager attacks by flinging Tiberium shards at its target in a manner similar to Canis tiberius. It has also been confirmed to have the ability to detonate Tiberium via a reaction similar to that caused by Nod's Catalyst missile. (From Command and Conquer Wiki). There will be no Tiberium on the battlefield, however, the shards will still cause Tiberium poisoning in organics such as Covenant troops, which is typically eventually fatal. Mastermind Masterminds, like many Scrin units, resemble insects and have a rounded shape that makes them physically larger but no taller than a human. The name of these rarely-encountered alien units is derived from their unique abilities that were initially believed to be derived from extreme psychic acuity, but now has been confirmed to be caused by a piece of Scrin technology known as a "Manipulator Device." Once in range of an enemy unit - or even an enemy building, bar automated turrets - Masterminds are able to take control of it, no matter how many humans are inside, and turn it against its own side. This way Masterminds have induced panic among attacking GDI forces when their mighty Mammoth tanks have suddenly turned and fired upon their former comrades. It should be noted that Masterminds are only able to control a single unit at a time, and this command will be lost if the Mastermind itself is killed - however, the distance between the controlled unit and the Mastermind once the mind-link has been established appears to be of no consequence. (From Command and Conquer Wiki) Masterminds also carry small disintegrator weapons for close combat, and some even carry teleporter packs for short-range teleports. For the purposes of this match, there will be only one mastermind in this battle, and it will not be able to take control of the Covenant Prophet or the Corvette. Infantry Edge Because of the vastly different infantry types of the Covenant and Scrin, it is difficult to compare them directly. Instead, I will compare them as whole- in terms of which has more effective infantry. In general, the Scrin infantry are more specialized. For instance, Buzzers are specifically for anti-infantry work, while Disintegarators are intended for anti-armor warfare. The Scrin have a number of powerful directed energy weapons, similarly to the Covenant, as well as more exotic armaments, such as Tiberium shards and even mind control devices. However, these mind control devices are limited to one unit at a time, and is disabled if the controlling Mastermind is killed. Compared to the specialized units of the Scrin, the Covenant have troops that are more able to adapt to a situation. The thing that gives the Covenant the edge in terms of infantry, however, is personal energy shields on Elites and Brutes (and even Grunts and Jackals if a Huragok is around). This gives Covenant infantry superior defenses than the Scrin, who only have energy shields on heavy vehicles. Edge: Covenant Light Vehicles Ghost Hovercraft (Covenant) The Ghost is a lightweight Covenant assault and recon hovercraft roughly analogous in design to a motorcycle, with the driver's seat on top of the vehicle with no covering or canopy. This means the driver is exposed to enemy fire. The Ghost is armed with twin plasma autocannons with a stopping power roughly equivalent to a .50 caliber weapon, allowing it to attack infantry and light vehicles. The weapons can even be elevated to fire on low-flying aircraft. The Ghost's gravity drive is equipped with a booster, allowing to travel at high speeds. Ghost operators have been known to use this boost to run down unaware infantry at close ranges. Gun Walker (Scrin) The Gun Walker is a Scrin light assault vehicle armed with a forward-firing plasma autocannon roughly equivalent to a heavy machine gun or light cannon. The weapon is capable of firing at both ground targets and aircraft, and can destroy light vehicles, but is not effective against tanks and other heavy armor. As its name suggests, the Gun Walker walks on insectoid mechanical legs. It is not clear if there is a pilot of the vehicle, or if it is a drone, or, perhaps a bio-mechanical construct that blurs the line between organism and machine. 119's Edge While the Gun Walker is more heavily armored, in the end, I give the edge to the Ghost's far superior speed and the faster rate of fire of its guns. Light Vehicles 2 Brute Chopper (Covenant) The Brute Chopper is the Jiralhanae's answer to the Ghost used by other Covenant races, and is a combat motorcycle equipped with an anti-gravity drive in the rear and a large bladed wheel in the front. This bladed wheel, in addition to blades on the side, allow the Chopper to literally slash through enemy infantry. The Chopper's gravity drive has a shorter boost duration than the Ghost's but, combined with the bladed wheel, it can destroy light vehicles by ramming them. Ramming, however, has no effect against tanks. In addition to the blades, the Chopper also carries a 35mm autocannon firing projectiles similar to the brute Spiker, but with an small explosive payload. This weapon can be elevated, giving it limited anti-air capabilities, in addition to being effective against light armor and infantry. Like the Ghost, the chopper is open topped, leaving the pilot vulnerable to small arms fire. Shard Walker (Scrin) The Shard Walker is an improvement on the Gun Walker made by the Scrin sect "The Cult of the Reaper", with the plasma cannon replaced with a Tiberium Shard Launcher. The weapon fires a shard of a the highly toxic substance known as Tiberium. The makes the vehicle high effective against infantry, and the shard is fired fast enough to pierce light vehicle armor. The shard launcher can also be elevated to engage enemy aircraft. Apart from the armament, the Shard Walker is identical to the Gun Walker. 119's Edge The Chopper is faster, however, it's short boost duration reduces its effectiveness, even if it can destroy light armor by ramming, however, it is open topped, leaving the pilot vulnerable. The Shard Walker's Tiberium Shard weapon is devastating against infantry, light armor, and aircraft, and thus earns an edge. Light Vehicles 3 Revenant Assault Gun Carriage (Covenant) The Revenant is a Covenant light armored vehicle consisting of an open-topped hovercraft seating two, with a light plasma mortar mounted to the rear of the vehicle. The plasma mortar can be elevated for both direct and indirect fire engagements. The vehicle also has a booster, allowing it to rapidly retreat... or run down unwary infantry. Like all open-topped vehicles, the pilot and passenger are left vulnerable to small arms fire. Seeker Light Tank (Scrin) The Seeker is a Scrin ultra light hover-tank armed with a heavy plasma autocannon. This weapons can rapidly fire bolts of superheated plasma at infantry, armor, and aircraft. While its weapon can penetrate tank armor with sustained fire, the Seeker is lightly armored and fairs poorly in direct engagements with heavier tanks. 119's Edge The Scrin's Seeker for its (slightly) heavier armor and faster firing weapon. Armor Wraith Assault Gun Carriage (Covenant) The Wraith is a heavily armored vehicle which hovers using an anti-gravity drive. While heavily armored and often described as a tank, it is truly more of a self-propelled artillery piece, fairing poorly in direct fire engagements with UNSC Scorpion main battle tanks. The Wraith carries a heavy plasma mortar with firepower about equivalent to a 90mm gun. The Wraith is also armed with a light plasma turret forward of the mortar to defend against infantry, and is capable of, albeit briefly boosting the anti-gravity drive. The Wraith's main gun is fixed and cannot traverse like a tank turret. Devourer Tank (Scrin) The Devourer is a Scrin main battle hover-tank armed with a heavy laser cannon in a forward-firing position- it cannot be traversed like a tank turret. The vehicle is heavily armored and can challenge rival main battle tanks such as GDI's Predator. The tank can also house a swarm of buzzers to protect it from infantry. The tank gets its name from the fact that it can absorb Tiberium to "supercharge" its laser. 119's Edge The Scrin's Devourer for its superior direct fire capabilities. Walkers Locust Battle Walker (Covenant) The Locust is a Covenant walker armed with a heavy particle beam cannon for engaging heavily armored ground targets and fortified structures. The walker is equipped with armor about equivalent to a main battle tank. The particle beam cannon can fire for extended periods of time, allowing it to burn through armor and fortifications. Annihilator Tripod (Scrin) The Annihilator is a Scrin heavy assault walker mounted on three legs. The Vehicle is slow moving, but heavily armored. The Annihilator carries three heavy laser cannons mounted on the end of three metallic "tentacles" which allow it to turn its guns in any direction, often being able to fire two or even all three of its weapons on one targets. The Annihilator is bested in a one-on-one fight only by GDI's heavily armored Mammoth Tank. 119's Edge The Scrin's Annihilator Tripod for the superior firepower of its three main weapons. Superheavy Walkers Scarab Ultra Heavy Assault Platform (Covenant) The Scarab is the Covenant's heaviest weapon, an insectoid walker (though it actually only has four legs) about as tall as a three-four story building. The vehicle is armed with a massively powerful plasma stream cannon, as well as a secondary heavy plasma cannon capable of engaging enemy aircraft, armor, and infantry. The Scarab also has two crew-operated plasma autocannons, and, finally, is capable of crushing enemy vehicles simply under its own weight. Eradicator Hexapod (Scrin) The Eradicator Hexapod is a Scrin insectiod walker similar to the Covenant's Scarab, and playing a similar role. The walker is armed with a massive plasma disc launcher similar to the main armament of the Devastator Warship, which is deadly against ground targets. The vehicle can also be customized with various secondary armaments. For the purposes of this match, the Eradicator will be armed with four (on four of the legs, one on each leg) anti-armor disintegrator guns and two-anti infantry/aircraft Tiberium Shard Cannons (similar arrangement to the disintegrators. 119's Edge The Scarab has a heavier main armament, however, in the end, I give the edge to the Scrin's Eradicator Hexapod for its greater versatility and heavier armor. Light Aircraft Banshee (Covenant) The Banshee is a Covenant light attack aircraft armed powered by a stronger anti-gravity drive than that on vehicles, allowing actual flight. The aircraft is highly maneuverable, and easily make complex aerobatic maneuvers. The Banshee carries two plasma autocannons for light and/or aerial targets and a pair of fuel rod cannons for against tanks and other heavy armor. The Banshee is lightly armored and vulnerable even to small arms fire. Stormrider (Scrin) The Stormrider is a Scrin light aircraft armed with a plasma autocannon capable of engaging both enemy aircraft and ground targets. The aircraft is very fast, but lightly armored and easily brought down by enemy fire. 119's Edge The Covenant's Banshee for its more versatile armament and greater maneuverability. Heavy Aircraft Phantom Gunship (Covenant) The Phantom Gunship is a variant of the standard Covenant Phantom Transport which has been upgraded for use as a light air and space capable assault platform. Unlike manmade gunships intended purely for ground attack, the Phantom Gunship is armed with a guided plasma torpedo launcher, as well as several heavy plasma cannoons, allowing it to launch attacks against both spacecraft, and (for the purposes of this match), ground targets. The gunship is heavily armed and armored, however, can be shot down by more maneuverable fighters by missile hits or even sustained cannon fire, as seen when several are shot down by a UNSC Sabre fighter piloted by Noble Six. Devastator Warship (Scrin) The Devastator Warship is a Scrin aircraft roughly analogous to a manmade heavy bomber or gunship using a powerplant comparable to Covenant anti-gravity drives on the Phantom. The aircraft is armed with heavy plasma disc launcher, capable of rapidly firing superheated plasma projectiles, capable of easily destroying tanks, structures, and practically any other ground target, from beyond the range of most ground-based air defenses. The weakness of the Devastator is that is very slow, and its weapon is not capable of engaging aircraft, leaving it vulnerable to attacks by fighters and mobile ground-based anti-air weapons. The craft can be equipped with an energy shield, however, these are not always deployed, and may be new technology even for the Scrin, so only about one in three will be shielded in this battle. The shield, however, can be depleted relatively easily with sustained fire. 119's Edge The Covenant's Phantom Gunship for is slightly greater speed and ability to attack aircraft, as well as ground targets. Special Aircraft Vampire (Covenant) The Type-29 Close Support Fighter, also known as the Vampire, is a Covenant atmospheric fighter aircraft powered by two anti-gravity hover engines. The craft carries a Heavy Needler, firing crystalline, explosive spike-like projectiles that home in on a target like guided missiles in rapid succession. The craft also carries an EMP weapon capable of immobilizing ground vehicles and shooting down aircraft. Planetary Assault Carrier (Scrin) The Planetary Assault Carrier is an unusual Scrin spacecraft that essentially acts as a flying aircraft carrier. The craft carries eight Invader drone fighters, armed with a single plasma cannon. The fighters can engage multiple targets or swarm around a single target, bombarding it with plasma fire. The planetary assault carrier is also heavily armored, and its defenses can be further augmented with an energy shield, capable of surviving a single EMP attack. The craft also carries an ion storm generator, capable of causing deveastating damage to enemies, but somehow strengthens Scrin forces. Downed fighters on the PAC will be slowly replaced over time, however, if the PAC itself is shot down, the drones will lose control and crash. 119's Edge The PAC has superior armor, while the Vampire carries heavier weapons and a devastating EMP beam, however, this will can disable the shield (or shoot down an unshielded PAC), and, for the purposes of this match, also destroy any fighters not attached to the PAC at the time. Both craft have their advantages, so, for the purpose of this match, they will be considered Even. Superheavy Aircraft Covenant Corvette The Corvette is the lightest class of Covenant space-warship, being about 400 meters in length and powered by four sublight thrusters for space and atmospheric maneuvering, and a slipspace drive for making faster-than-light jumps between star systems. The craft is armed with multiple plasma torpedo launchers, capable of destroying all but the most heavily fortified structure in a single shot, as well as effortlessly destroying unshielded ships. The craft also carries several smaller plasma cannons for engaging incoming fighters. Unlike heavier Covenant ships, the Corvette only has energy shields over open hangar doors. The rest of the craft is unshielded, but vulnerable to UNSC magnetic accelerator cannons and missiles fired from fighters and ground-based craft. Fire to the unshielded thrusters can render it incapable of maneuvering, and, if the craft is in atmosphere (which it presumably will be for the purposes of this match), this would likely (and will for the purposes of this match) cause the craft to lose power and crash. For the purpose of this match, sustained fire from any Scrin craft capable of harming aircraft will be able to harm the corvette. Mothership (Scrin) The Scrin Mothership is the largest spacecraft encountered in the Scrin invasion. The Mothership consists of a ring-shaped segment suspended by anti-gravity mechanism around a central area which presumably contains the bridge of the ship. The mothership carries as a single weapon, a catalyst cannon, which can only be fired straight down from the ship, but causes any object within a few hundred meters of the impact point to spontaneously explode. In addition, the explosion of each target sends out a wave of energy which triggers anything near the secondary explosion to explode. This effect can transfer from structure to structure from kilometers, and will not end until there are no more structures or vehicles within the effect radius the secondary explosions. This means the catalyst cannon can literally level cities by jumping from structure to structure. The catalyst effect will destroy low-flying aircraft, however, the mothership cannot directly engage aircraft, making it an easy target for enemy fighters. The craft is also extremely slow moving, and can even be attacked by ground units armed with anti-aircraft weapons, while keeping out of range of its deadly armament. The craft can be shot down with sustained missile or even autocannon fire (and Covenant equivalents), as well as destroyed instantly by severe damage to the central piece- in game, this is only achieveable by collision large aircraft, but for the purpose of this match, the plasma torpedoes from the Covenant Corvette will also be able to do this with a well-placed hit or two. 119's Edge The Covenant's CPV-class Corvette for its superior firepower and greater versatility. =X-Factors= Explanations Scrin forces are bio-mechanical beings created for battle, and thus have higher levels of training, likely having combat tactics pre-programmed into them. The Covenant's training suffers given their heavy used of little-trained Unggoy. The Covenant, on the other hand, have more experience conquering worlds, having been invading planet after planet and conquering sapient life forms for centuries. The Scrin's experience is unknown, but probably less. In terms of tactics, both sides are competent, but rely heavily on brute force. The energy shields of the Covenant allows them to one-up the Scrin on infantry tech, however, the Scrin's armored forces and tactics are far more developed. Both sides have a powerful air force, but I give the Covenant a slight edge because of their heavier capital ship. =Notes= *The battle will take place in a desert region of an Earth-like planet, but uninhabited by intelligent life. The battle will be a large scale battle between tens of thousands of infantry and thousands of tanks and aircraft. There will be only one mothership and Covenant corvette, and only one mastermind and prophet, however. *Votes may be formatted either as a comprehensive analysis of all compared units, or, because this is time consuming, sections giving an overall edge for infantry, armor, aircraft, and heavy capital ships. =Battle= A Scrin patrol rolled through a pass in the middle of a desert mountain range on a planet uninhabited by intelligent life forms, as two Devastator Warships, a Planetary Assault Carrier, and several Stormriders flew overhead. The patrol was part of a larger unit send to investigate reports of unknown entities detected during a routine Tiberium seeding. Suddenly, balls of blue and red plasma- projectiles from the plasma mortars of Wraiths and Revenants fired down on the Scrin armored force. The first plasma ball impacted a Seeker and exploded in a blue fireball that also took out a Gun Walker and several Disintegrators and Buzzer swarms. Second later, another plasma projectile destroyed a Devourer Tank, as a third slammed into the top of an Annihilator Tripod, setting off the power cores for the laser cannon and sending the machine up in massive fireball. As plasma fire took out Scrin war machines left and right, the surviving vehicles elevated their weapons towards the source of the threat- a group of Covenant Wraiths and Revenants placed along the ridgeline. Devourer tanks and Annihilator Tripods fired their main lasers, the first shots burning through Wraith and Revenant Armor, and setting off their power cores in balls of blue flames. Meanwhile, A group of Covenant infantry further down the ridgeline opened up with plasma weapons and fuel rod cannons. Scrin Disintegrators, Gun Walkers, and Shock Troopers returned fire as a few surviving Buzzer hordes flew towards the Covenant. Covenant and Scrin infantry alike fell to plasma fire and buzzers, as the two Devastator warships flew up and fired their plasma cannons at the remaining Wraiths on the ridgeline. The heavy plasma bolts from the Devastators impacted like artillery fire, and cleared the ridge line of Covenant artillery. Meanwhile, the Stormriders and Invader fighters from the Planetary Assault Carrier strafed the Covenant infantry on the ridgeline, cutting down most of them, save for a few Unggoy who tried to flee, but were killed by Scrin fire soon after. But that was not the last of the Covenant, as was made abundantly clear a green guided plasma missile- a weapon known to humans as a "fuel rod cannon" impacted a Devastator Warship. Two more hits later, one of the Devastator Warships, fell from from the sky and exploded in a ball of fire as it hit the side of a mountain. A flight of banshees then flew in shooting down a pair of Stormriders. The remaining Stormriders and the fighters from the PAC responded, swarming the flight of five Banshees and blowing them out of the sky one-by-one. But that was not the last for of Covenant air force. A pair of plasma torpedoes impacted the side of the remaining Devastator, blowing the Scrin aircraft clean in half, raining wreckage everywhere. The Phantom Gunship that fired the plasma torps then fired its plasma autocannons, shooting down two more Stormriders as a burst of heavy Needler shots homed in on the last surviving enemy, exploding on impact and sending them down in flames. The Covenant Vampire fighter fired its EMP cannon, frying the shield of the PAC and destroying half its fighters. Several plasma torpedoes and heavy Needler rounds impacted the craft, destroying it. The now undirected fighters lost control and crashed. As the Phantom gunship opened up on the Scrin forces, cutting them down one-by-one, a group of Wraiths and Locusts rolled up the other side of the passed. Plasma rained down on the Scrin from land and air, destroying vehicles and infantry in a sheet of blue flames. A few hours later The Prophet of Sanctity sat in the bridge of a Covenant Corvette. He would have preferred a heavier vessel, but this was all the higher-ranking prophets would spare for the mission to this backwater system. In spite of this, the prophet insisted on accompanying Sangheili shipmaster Tydr Yasharee to witness the first contact and subjugation of the newly encountered race, which dared attempt to pollute the sacred Forerunner ruins with the foul toxic crystals they left in their wake. "Your Holiness", Tydr Yasharee said to the prophet, we have detected multiple contacts incoming, one large vessel and numerous smaller ones incoming. I also have reports the Jiralhanae Cheiftain Zaskarus has made first contact with the main enemy ground force. "Destroy the abominations, leave none alive!", the prophet ordered in response to the incoming contacts. "All units to battlestations!", Shipmaster Yasharee ordered, "Launch all aircraft". Banshees, Phantom Gunships and Vampire fighters poured out of the top and side hangar doors of the craft as squadrons of Scrin Stormriders flew in first, followed by a force of shield Planetary Assault Carriers. Behind all of them, the Scrin Mothership slowly flew upwards, attempting to get to a higher position to fire its devastating main weapon down on the Corvette. The Vampires and fired off their heavy needlers and the Phantom Gunships and the Corvette itself plasma torpedoes. Glowing blue balls of superheated plasma and crystalline alien missiles flew towards the Scrin air forces, as the Planetary Assault Carriers launched their Invader drone fighters. Left and right, Covenant heavy needler and plasma torpedo fire impacted Stormriders and Invaders. Soon, fuel rod cannon fire from the Banshees and close-range plasma autocannon fire from both sides joined the ball dueling aircraft over the desert. The blue flames of plasma fire, the pink and green explosions from the alien explosives used in Covenant "needlers" and "fuel rod cannons", and the red bolts of heavy plasma cannons created a deadly fireworks display around the dueling ships. A plasma torpedo from a Phantom Gunship de-shielded a PAC, which was then struck by several heavy needler projectiles and blown out of the sky. Meanwhile, two Phantom gunships combined their fire to bring down a second PAC. Unfortunately from the Phantoms in question, they were immediately swarmed by dozens of Invader fighters from all directions and shot to pieces. Aircraft on both sides fell from the sky, but the Covenant air force were slowly gaining control of the skies. The final death blow to the Scrin air fleet occurred when the Covenant Corvette fired off a salvo of plasma torpedoes at the Scrin mothership. The balls of superheated plasma impacted in balls of blue flames, three of them melting holes in the "ring" around the mothership, while two more impacted the centerpiece. The center of the mothership exploded as the surrounding ring fell from the sky, raining debris onto the desert floor. Without the threat of the mothership, the Covenant Corvette could focus fire on the remaining PACs, which were taken down with a single shot from the heavier plasma torpedoes on the corvette. With PACs shot down, the back bone of the Scrin air force was broken. The surviving Stormriders were quickly cleared from the skies. A few kilometers to the west A massive Scrin force was heavily engaged with a massive Covenant army, including infantry, armor and artillery. Ghosts, Revenants, and Brute Choppers rode in the flanks firing their weapons and sending Seekers and Gun Walkers up in flames. A few were hit by returning Scrin fire, but most turned away before the Scrin tripods and Devourer tanks could return fire. Then, the main forces met. Covenant Wraiths fired off their plasma mortars, some of which struck Devourers or Annihilator Tripods, knocking the Scrin war machines out of action flashes of blue fire. The main force of the Scrin, however, kept advancing, covered by their Devastator Warships, which rained death on the Covenant army, taking out vehicles left and right. The combined fire of three Devastators even destroyed out one of the Covenant's four Scarabs. The Scrin Tripods and tanks retaliated, blue laser beams burning through the armor of Wraiths and Locusts, picking off the Covenant one-by-one as the spearhead of the Scrin army moved forward, the four Eradicator Hexapods. An Eradicator fired its main plasma disc launcher at a Scarab, taking it out. One of the two remaining Scarabs retaliated, firing its massive main plasma cannon and sending the Eradicator up in a massive fireball. In spite of their best efforts, however, the superior firepower of the Scrin tanks and tripods, supported by the Devastators allowed them to start gaining ground. Things did not look good for the Covenant Ground forces... Until, suddenly, a swarm of Heavy Needler fire shot the Devastator Warships out of the sky as Phantom gunships rained superheated plasma death on Scrin, a group of them destroying a second Scrin Eradicator with a volley of plasma torpedoes. The final death blow to the Scrin, however, came from the Covenant Corvette, which has maneuvered into engagement range and fired its main plasma torpedoes. The heavy plasma fire reduced first on Eradicator, and then the second, to a mass of twisted alien metal. More plasma torpedoes took out several tanks and tripods with each shot. Within minutes, the back of the Scrin army was broken from the devastating aerial firepower, allowing the Covenant to mop up the surviving Scrin resistance. WINNER: Covenant Empire Expert's Opinion The Experts believed that, while the Scrin had superior armored vehicles, and very good aircraft that mattered little when the Covenant could gain space superiority with their superior vessel and bombard the Scrin with a withering hail of plasma. The Covenant were also more experienced, and all together more successful, almost defeating a more advanced human race, while the Scrin were repulsed by a still formidable, but less advanced version of humanity. To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here. Category:Blog posts